There are a number of themes that have started to emerge this week, so I thought I would draw some links together here to orient discussion online and in-class.
What is Justice?
Dan's post "Define Justice" draws our attention to this important question operating in the background of all our discussions thus far. In comments to this post, Nick wonders if retribution should be considered justice at all. Maryam ask important questions about the role of religion in cultivating attitudes about retributive justice and Hannah wonders if it is "programmed into our nature."
Emotion versus Reason
One of the main points raised by the weekly roundup podcast was the question of the degree to which Clytemnestra really challenges or subverts traditional female stereotypes. One way this question has been pursued in comments made by August and Jonathan is to ask about the degree to which Clytemnestra's actions can be considered rational as opposed to emotional. August grants that her ability to carry out a plan is rational, but the ultimate impetus behind the plan is irrational and so reinforces that dimension of the feminine stereotype.
Is there a problem with the assumption that emotion can be rigidly and clearly separated from reason? To what degree is reason emotional and emotion reasonable?
Respectability
Finally, there seems to have emerged a relatively strong disagreement in response to Kaitlyn's well formulated and provocative post comparing the character of Orestes to that of Clytemnestra. She argues powerfully and with reference to specific texts that "Clytemnestra was more justified and less selfish in her crime than Orestes was." The debate seems to be divided along gender lines, at least judging from the initial comments, with Rob and Corey defending Orestes and Andrea joining Kaitlyn in supporting Clytemnestra ... what does this say about these two characters, what does it say about us?